Harvester reel



D. W. SMITH July 20 1926. 1,592,872

' HARVESTER REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June' 19, 1922 D. w. SMITH A1,592,872.

HARVESTER REEL Filed June 19, A1922 July 20, 1625.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nm u QN *o 4a E. www www. Nw @w NNW @ww n@ A www wr@ @n QN Patented July 20, 1926.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL W'. SMFTH, YOF PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 INTERNATONAL HARu VESTER COMPANY, OF GI-LICAGO, ILLINOISy A CORPORATION OF -NEVI JERSEY.

` HARVESTER REEL.

Application filed June 19, 1922. Serial No. 569,362.

My invention'relates to harvesters One of the. objects of the present invention is to provide an improved means for controlling and balancing the reel of a harvesterin a manner-to sustain the samei'na position substantially parallel with the cutting mechanism of the harvester.

A further object is toprovide a reel controlling mechanism in which the various parts are so balanced that the reel maybe adjusted to its different positions of adjustment with the lleast expenditure ofetl'ort on the part ofthe operator.

A still'further object is to provide a double acting spring mechanism fornormally maintaining the reel in a vertical position.

These vand other objects are accomplished by providing a novel construction and arrangement of thevarious parts which cooperate with the reel and reel support in a manner to maintain the reel in substantial balance.

Referring to the` 'drawings- Fig'. 1 is afsideelevational view ofthe essential parts of a 'harvester showing my improved reel Amechanism embodied therein;

2 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an .enlarged top plan view of the double acting spring mecl'1anism,the supporting pipe beingarranged horizontally on the sheet merely for the sake of I'better arrangement of the figures thereon;

Fig. 4 isy a sectional'view of Fig.V 3 on line 4-4 thereof; vand Fig. 5 isan enlarged detail-view showing the means for locking the reel .in its various positions of adjustment.

For the purpose of illustration l have shown inyimproved adjustable reel and balanc'ing `meehanism embodied in the standard type of harvesteijwhich comprisesa pla-tform '1 0 havingjaZ-jbar 11 'fixed'.thereto at -the 'forward side.

bolts to the Zgbar 1 1 are; the usual guards 12. `vSecured to the platform 1 0 l arefthe usual longitudinally and transversely dis-V posed traine members 4ljzinti 14 respete VSecured by nineans of tively. Extending upward lfrom and secured to the rear of the transversely disposed frame 14 is the usual seat supporting port 24 by means of a bracket 27 fixed tothe pipe by a bolt 28. The bracket 27 is pro- `vided with a4 bifurcatedportion adapte-d to tit over the Abearing 24 and to p'ivotally receive the lhook pin '25. The pipe 26 is bent at right angles at its upper end 27 and is braced against lateral movement. by a brace rod 28 secured to the pipe at 29 and pivotally secured to the harvester vby means of a lug 30 secured to the bar 17. Secured to the right angularly bent portion 27 ofthe pipe 26 is a horizontallydisposed plate 81 hav-ing' anaperture therein which iS adapted to pivotally receive a hook bolt 32. Pivotally journaled on the hook' bolt 32'is a block and pulley for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

ly improved balancing mechanism for 'balancing the reel comprises a substantially vertically disposed spring 34 positioned pargallel to tbe supporting pipe 26 and havingitslower end connected` to the hook pin 25 and its 'upper lend connected to a block and :pulley 3:3. Adjustably secured to the plate `V31 is an eye bolt'36. Secured' to the eye bolt 36 is a A'chai-,n.327 which extends'downward 'around the pulley or sheave 35v and upward from this point around thesheavej and from this vsheave it extendsdownward and is connected at a point spaced from thesupporting pipe 2G toa reelsupporting bracket 38 by meausof ajclip39 `i'xed'to an ear 40 formed integrally with the bracket 38.r The rcel supporting bracket is provided with upper and lower rollers 41 and 42 respectively. The reel supporting bracket 38 is adjust-ably mounted on the pipe 26 by means of the conventional bearing and guide rollers 4l and 4i), slidably engaging the pip-e 2G. 'lhe purpose of the rollers is to facilitate the adjustment of the reel andeliminate the friction. riihese rollers are mounted on the arms 45 and 46 formed integrally with the iracket The bracket 38 is provided with a bearing portion 47 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The reel of the harvester comprises a pipe or shaft 48 supported at its stubbleward end in the bearings 49 and 5() formed integrally with the bracket 38. T he grainwf-ird end of the platforn'i may or may not carry a support for supporting the grainward endof the shaft and reel, it being unnecessary to show such constructions as they are well known in the art. Fixed to the stubbleward side of the shaft 48 is a beveled gear 5l. The reel proper comprises a web brack-eU fixed to the shaft 48 and provided with outwardly projecting sockets 53 adapted to rcceive land have securely lixed thereto diverging arms Secured to the outer ends of the arms. 54 are the usual reel bats rlhe reel is vertically and longitudinally adjusted by means of a lever 56 pivotallyV secured to the reel shaft 48 and extending rearwardly to within easy reach of the operator. The lever 56 is pivotally secured to the frame or to the harvester at 57 by means of a washer bolt and nut The reel is adjustable in a vertical plane by the pivot 57 being adapted to be removably seated in a plurality of notches 5 formed in the sector bar 59 fixed to the seat pipe l5 by means of bolts 60. The levelI 56 is limited in its horizontal movement by the guide rod 6l fixed to the sector bar 59 by means of rivets G2. The height of the reel above the cutting apparatus of the harvester is controlled by a detent connection G3 connected to a spring pressed pawl 64 which is pivoted at 65 to the` brackets St. The pawl 64 is provided with a for iardly projecting portion 6G which is adapted to be seated in any one of a plurality of apertures G7 formed on the rearward side of the supporting pipe 26. From the above description it. will be understood that the adjustment of the height of the reel above the cutting apparatus is controlled by actuating the lever 5G about its pivot 57 and through the detent mechanism 83, the pawl G4 .may be employed to lock the reel to the pipe 2G in the desired position of adjustment. i

The reel is driven by a pinion 47 rotatably mounted in the bearing 47 and meshing with the gear 5l. The pinion 47 is provided with a square aperture (not shown) extending longitudinally with respect thereto for slidably receiving` a square shaft 5l -the part of the operator.

which drives the reel. The shaft 5l is driven by the gearing mechanism 2l and 22 through a universal joint 21 and a slip clutch 22.

My improved double acting spring mechanism for normally maintaining the, reel sup' porting frame in substantially vertical por-l sition comprises a horizontally disposed rod ($8 having its rearward end loosely secured to a bracket G9 fixed to the sector 59. rllhe rod 68 extends forwardly and slidably engages a bracket 70 tix-ed to the pipe 26 by means of a bolt 7l. The rod 68 extends through an aperture '72 in the bracket 7l', and has its forward end adjustably connect ed to a double acting spring 73 by meansoil an adjustable tlueadednut 74. rlhe nut 74 is provided with threaded grooves 75 which are adapted to securely retain the forward end of the spring 73 to the nut 74. The rearward end of the spring 73 is provided with a hook portion 76 which is adapted to be secured to the bracket 70 in an aperture '77 formed in said bracket. n From the above description it will be seen that the spring 73 functions as an extension and also as a compression spring. ln other words`r when the reel supporting frame is swung forward of its pivot on the hook 25, the spring 73 acts as a compression spring and normally tends to force the supporting frame in a rearward directiona and when the reel supporting frame 25 is swung rearwardly of its pivot, the spring '73 operates as an extension spring and normally tends to return the reel supporting frame to the normal vertical position.

In the operation of the above described mechanism, the reel, together with the reel supporting` frame, is adjusted forwardly and rearwardly of the usual cutting apparatus indicated by the guards l2 of the harvester by adjusting 'the lever 56 with the bolt 57 engaging the various notches 58 in the sector 59 and, by reason of the double acting spring 73, the reel is readily adjusted to its various positions with little or no effort on Then the operator desires to adjust the height of the reel, the detent connection 63 is depressed disengaging the projection GG of the pawl 64 from the aperture G7 in the pipe 26 and thus, by tilting the lever 56 about its pivot 57, the reel proper may be r adjusted to its various positions of adjustment with great ease and facility by reason of the spring 34 balancing and overcoming the weight through the chain 37 trained about the sheaves 33 and 35 fixed to the plate 3l and spring 34 respectively. It should be further understood that by reason of the chain 37 being connected to the bracket 39 at a point spaced from the pipe 26, the tendency of the pipe or reel shaft 48 to sag at the outer end is considerably rduced and that by reason of construction and` arrangement, the reel can be readily and easilyadjusted to its various positions of adjustment.

Vhile I have described but one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that the saine is capable ot modification and that modification may be employed Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as described in the following claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a harvester, the combination ol a trame, a reel support pivotally mounted on the frame, and means including a rod connected to the frame and slidably carried intermediately of its en-ds by the reel support, said means acting to maintain the reel support in a substantially normal vertical position.

2. In a harvester, the combination of a trame, a reel support pivotallyk mounted on the traine, a rod connected to the trame and slidably carried intermediately ot its ends by the ieel support, and a spring on the rod exerting a force to maintain the reel support in a substantially normal vertical position.

8. In a harvester, a traine, a reel support pivotally mounted on sai-d traine, and means comprising a double acting spring tending to maintain said reel support in a substantially normal vertical position.

4.In a harvester, a frame, a reel support pivotally mounted on said frame, and means comprising a rod pivotally connected to said trame and recipi'ocable with respect to said reel support tending to maintain said reel support in a substantially normal vertical position.

5. In a harvester, the combination ot a trame, a reel support pivotally mounted on said trame and adapted to svving from one side of its pivot to the other, and means including a rod disposed above said pivot and supported by the trame and reel support, said means acting to maintain the support in a position directly over said pivot.

6. In a harvester, the combination of a trame, a reel support pivotally mounted on said traine and adapted to swing from one side of its pivot to the other, a rod carried by the trame and support above said pivot, and a single spring carried by the rod and acting on the support to maintain said support in a position directly over said pivot.

T. In a harvester, a trame, a reel support pivotally mounted on said frame and adapted to swing :trom one side ot its pivot to the other. and means comprising a double acting spring exerting forces tending to return said reel support to a position directly over said pivot.

8. In a harvester, a traine, a reel support pivotally mounted on said :traine and adapttion v 9. In a harvester, a traine, a r-el support pivctally mounted on said traine for movenient in a vertical plane, and a spring mounted on :iid support and extending longitudinally and in parallel relation With respectthereto i'or balancing the Weight of said reel.

l0. In a harvester, a frame, a reel, a reel support pivotally mounted on said frame, a spring connected to said support having a slieave connected at one end thereof, a sheave mounted on said support, and a chain connected to said support and trained about .nid sheaves and connected to said reel for balant 1ig' said reel.

ll. in a harvester, a frame, a reel support -pivo'ially mounted on said trame, a reel carf" by said support, double acting means i l.sifting forces tending to maintain said support in a normal vertical position, and means mounted on said support for adjustably balancing said reel.

l2. In a harvester, a frame, a reel, a reel support pivotally mounted on said traine, a spring connected to said support having a sheave connected at one end thereof, a sheave mounted on said support, a chain connected to said support and trained about said sheaves and connected to said reel for balancing said reel, and a double acting ineens exerting `forces tending to maintain s 1d reel support in substantially a vertical plane.

13. In a harvester, a traine, a reel, a reel support pivotaily mounted on said trame, a spring connected to said support having a sheave connected at one end thereof, a sheave mounted on said support, and a chain connected to said support and trained about said sheaves and connected to said reel at a point spaced from said support for balancing said reel. f

l-i. In a harvester, a traine, yakreel support pivotally mounted on said trame, a reel rotatably carried on said support, a spring extending parallel with and connec-ted to said support for balancingsaid reel, and a double acting spring positioned substantially at right angles to said first mentioned spring tor balancing the reel substantially in a vertical plane With respect to said support.

15. In a harvester, a traine, a reel having a shaft and supported tor movement in a vertical plane, and means including a tie);-

ible element engaging said shaft intermediate its ends for preventing sagging thereof and maintaining it in a substantially horizontal position during its vertical moveits ends for preventing sagging of the reel ments. and shaft Iand maintaining it in a substan- 10 16. In :t harvester, a frame, a support dolly horizontal position during its vertical thereon, a reel shaft carrying a reel mountmovements.

ed on the support and adjustable in n Ver- In testimony whereof I affix my signaticnl plane with respect to the Support, and ture.

means including n flexibie element connected to the support and to the shaft intermediate DANIEL IV. SMITH. 

